The Best Children's and YA Books of October 2020

October’s best new books are all treats and no tricks (though there’s plenty of mischief afoot — we’re looking at you, Underwear Dragon). Poignant and playful, fascinating and festive, these new releases can’t be missed.

Attack of the Underwear Dragon

by Scott Rothman, illustrated by Pete Oswald

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As a brand new assistant knight to Sir Percival of King Arthur’s Round Table, Cole has a lot to learn. Particularly when it comes to Sir Percival’s greatest (and only) fear: an Underwear Dragon. This delightful new read is goofy in all the best ways.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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I Feel Proud

by DK

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Part of the quintessential First Emotions series, the newest board book helps readers identify and celebrate an oh-so-important feeling: pride! In addition to encouraging readers’ confidence, it also teaches them how to make their friends feel proud, too.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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What We'll Build

by Oliver Jeffers

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A new Oliver Jeffers book is always cause for celebration, and this sweet father-daughter story is the perfect addition to his heartening oeuvre. With tools in hand, a father and daughter first build a door, followed by a house, and then they embark on building immaterial but necessary ingredients for a good life: love and forgiveness, resilience and hope.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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The Boy and the Gorilla

by Jackie Azúa Kramer, illustrated by Cindy Derby

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A poignant picture book that will open up important conversations about grief, Kramer and Derby’s story-in-dialogue follows a young boy who conjures a gentle gorilla to help him talk through his sadness after losing his mother. As the boy asks big questions, he grows comfortable talking about his feelings, first to the gorilla and then to his father.
(On Sale: 10/13/2020)

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I am Anne Frank

by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

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Along with I am Benjamin Franklin, this book is the newest addition to the Ordinary People Change the World series, and introduces young readers to Anne Frank, who will undoubtedly become a familiar face of courage throughout their lives. Age-appropriate narrations of the Holocaust and Anne’s place in it are accompanied by Christopher Eliopoulos’s expressive character portraits.
(On Sale: 10/13/2020)

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Cozy

by Jan Brett

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The beloved Jan Brett returns with a seasonal read that’s sure to be a household staple this winter. In the wilds of Alaska, Cozy the musk ox finds himself separated from his herd as a snowstorm bears down. Soon, other animals — lemmings, an arctic fox, a snowshoe hare, and more — realize that beneath Cozy’s soft, thick fur is the place to be, and as their numbers grow, so do Cozy’s house rules.
(On Sale: 10/20/2020)

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My Rainbow

by DeShanna Neal and Trinity Neal, illustrated by Art Twink

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When Trinity wants to match her outsides with her insides, her family goes to the wig store to find the perfect fit. But when nothing feels quite right, Mom makes Trinity a fabulous rainbow wig of her very own. This affirming story is written by the real-life Trinity and her mother, advocates for transgender rights.
(On Sale: 10/20/2020)

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I Am the Storm

by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple, illustrated by Kristen Howdeshell and Kevin Howdeshell

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In a time of extreme climate shifts, this beautifully illustrated picture book will help soothe children’s fears about weather emergencies — a tornado, a blizzard, a forest fire, and a hurricane are each featured — by showing families who are informed, prepared, and resilient together.
(On Sale: 10/27/2020)

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Chapter Books & Middle Grade

Closer to Nowhere

by Ellen Hopkins

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Written in verse and alternating between the voices of cousins Hannah and Cal, Closer to Nowhere is a moving story of a family doing their best to carry on, even when they don’t always get along. Ever since Aunt Caryn died and Cal came to live at Hannah’s house, things have been hectic, and Cal’s funny-man persona isn’t helping matters. Will he learn to let others in, and can Hannah put up with him until then?
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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How We Got to the Moon

by John Rocco

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You need an oversized book to tell the incredible story of the space race and all 400,000 people who got Apollo 11 to the moon, and award-winning author-illustrator John Rocco delivers. No longer unsung are the behind-the-scenes heroes at NASA and beyond, from engineers to seamstresses, mathematicians to welders. It was their ingenuity and teamwork that made possible those first steps on the moon.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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Iggy Is Better Than Ever

by Annie Barrows, illustrated by Sam Ricks

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Iggy is the patron saint of mischief-makers, and through every hilarious misadventure, he takes one small (tiny? infinitesimal?) step toward becoming just a tad more responsible. His comically illustrated, episodic escapes will thoroughly entertain middle grade readers. (Best yet, he’s got a whole series!)
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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Magic Tree House Deluxe Edition: Dinosaurs Before Dark

by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Antonio Javier Caparo

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Readers can now relive the very first Magic Tree House story — when Jack and Annie are transported to the time of dinosaurs — with this deluxe full-color edition. The tree house’s mysteries are brand new and the creatures as old as time in this wild, prehistoric adventure.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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The Monster in the Hollows

by Andrew Peterson

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The epic re-released Wingfeather Saga comes to a heart-pounding conclusion with The Monster in the Hollows and The Warden and the Wolf King. First, siblings Janner, Leeli, and Kalmar — the Lost Jewels of Anniera — are still on the run while also dealing with Tink’s fearsome transformation into a wolf-like beast. The final installment finds the siblings separated and drawing on their individual strengths in the final battle against their greatest foe.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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The National Parks

by DK

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Get through the chilly season by diving into all there is to know about America’s 62 national parks, from animal life to activities, special sights to look out for when visiting, and wacky facts you won’t believe (one of Alaska’s national parks is bigger than Switzerland!).
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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Matilda

by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Sarah Walsh

Revisit the magical world of Matilda (and maybe even introduce it to your reader!) with this new vibrantly illustrated edition from Sarah Walsh. There’s a reason that bookish, brainy Matilda is near and dear to the hearts of so many bookworms, and let’s not forget Miss Honey, one of literature’s greatest teachers.
(On Sale: 10/13/2020)

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His Dark Materials: Serpentine

by Philip Pullman, illustrated by Tom Duxbury

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If your reader can’t get enough of Philip Pullman’s enthralling, action-packed worlds, we’ve got good news for you: Lyra and her dæmon, Pan, are back in a new story that serves as the perfect bridge between the classic His Dark Materials series and the ongoing Book of Dust series, as they venture once again to the Far North.
(On Sale: 10/15/2020)

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The Secret Explorers and the Tomb Robbers

by DK and SJ King

In this globetrotting adventure series, a group of kids come together to solve mysteries from history — only, history becomes the present when they step through the Exploration Station. In Tomb Robbers, Kiki and Gustavo go back into time to save the real-life Pharaoh Khufu’s tomb. Double the fun with Jurassic Rescue, in which Tamiko and Cheng attempt to rescue an important dinosaur egg.
(On Sale: 10/20/2020)

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Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf

by Hayley Krischer

A nuanced and important conversation about rape culture and survival, Hayley Krischer’s debut centers on Ali Greenleaf and Blythe Jensen, who only become friends after Blythe’s BFF, the school’s soccer superstar, assaults Ali at a party. Blythe believes Sean’s interpretation of events and tries to smooth things over by befriending Ali and opening up to her. Both young women are on their own journeys to the truth, healing, and empowerment.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)

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Everything I Thought I Knew

by Shannon Takaoka

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After an unexpected heart transplant at 17, Chloe finds herself drawn to new interests: surfing, for starters. But also to her cute surfing instructor, Kai. Beyond the new interests, though, Chloe’s experiencing a recurring nightmare of dying in a motorcycle accident. As she falls in love with Kai, she also gets to the root of her strange new life.
(On Sale: 10/13/2020)

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The Magic Fish

by Trung Le Nguyen

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First-generation Vietnamese American Tiến has a secret. He wishes he could tell his parents, but beyond language barriers, Tiến isn’t sure how they’ll feel about him being gay. As Tiến navigates this new part of his identity and bears the burden of hiding it away, he throws himself into his favorite fairy tales, which strikingly play out over the pages of this graphic novel.
(On Sale: 10/13/2020)